2024 Players to Lookout For

We have evaluated a few players this summer and the class of 2024 is one to keep up with this year. There are a lot of guys who are still flying under the radar waiting to show off their skills. <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="346262" first="Demar" last="Gardner"], 6-0 165, WR/DB, Leake Central</strong></span> [player_tooltip player_id="346262" first="Demar" last="Gardner"] is flying under the radar in Carthage, MS. This is a very talented kid who has a nice set of hands. Haven’t seen an approximate number on his vertical, but he has some hops in those legs. He just has a way of making good plays. He plays a lot of positions for Leake Central. He can be deep threat at receiver or he can be a guy that constantly keeps your chains moving. He does not mind making catches in traffic. Even though he plays a few spots it seems that receiver or defensive back is going to be his spot on the gridiron. Gardner is a guy who will be a major impact on the Gator squad. Look for him to have some big stats this year as he settles in at WR/DB. Gardner is definitely a guy you are going to want to keep up with. <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="380571" first="Javien" last="Jackson"], 6-1 215, DE/OLB/ Winona</strong></span> [player_tooltip player_id="380571" first="Javien" last="Jackson"] made a lot of plays over there twenty minutes from the Delta last year. This guy is super athletic and is very explosive on the defensive line. He has a lot of speed and has broken up many of pockets. He was only a sophomore last year making plays all over the field. This year he has been training hard during the off-season. He has been running hard everyday getting some miles in making sure he is very conditioned for the season. Jackson plays with a high motor for four quarters and he is a very coachable kid. He has a lot of aggression and can be taught to be a very solid defender on the edge. Needs to keep those hands very active and keep those tackles from being able to stop him on passing plays. He makes a lot of plays so I think his name will be on the radar heavy soon. He runs a 4.6 and will definitely be a 225 or 230 guy with a 4.5 by the time he is a senior. <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>John Griffin, 6-1 260, OL, Madison Central </strong></span> Madison Central has a lot to be proud of in this Jaguar. He was very helpful to their team last season. He was paving ways for their RB and making sure he kept his QB protected. John plays with a lot of passion and he is a guy who understands his assignments. He keeps great posture even when he is pulling. I like the way he makes sure his defender is not a factor when they are running the ball. He gets a nice drive and pushes defenders out of the way. He makes it very hard to escape his blocks. <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Caden Thompkins, 6-0 190, LB, Louisville </strong></span> Louisville always has a plethora of players to choose from. With ten overall state championships it’s well-known the Wildcats keeps some studs on their roster. Thompkins is expected to have a breakout year this season and be the leader of those LBs. Last year he was a baby stepping into a big boy game and he adjusted well. This season look for Caden to be way more explosive. He has been working very hard with one of the best trainers in the state and he has that look deep in his eye. He is very good in the running game and loves to be around the football. He is a very coachable kid with great ability and comes from a long bloodline of talented athletes. I think Glenn needs to work on being better in coverage. He needs to have a better understanding for zone coverages and know assignments better. This will be a great season for Caden. Look for him to pick up some offers this season. <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="273255" first="JJ" last="Harrell"], 6-2 185, WR/DB, North Panola</strong></span> [player_tooltip player_id="273255" first="JJ" last="Harrell"] is very phenomenal on the field. He is explosive and knows how to make big plays for his team. Kid has great speed and has nice hands. Those nice soft hands come from playing basketball. Harrell is a high flying dunker in basketball that loves the jump ball in the redzone. He is also a very crucial piece of their secondary. He didn’t allow more than ten catches all of last season. Kid has nice hips and a great back pedal. He uses those offensive skills to catch interceptions when they come flying around his way. He also does not mind coming up making some hits. JJ holds an offer from Southern Miss, but you can expect many more to come. He is a 3 star player that is going to make a lot of noise this year.